Jane Rosenthal, co-founder of the Tribeca Festival, doesn’t follow the North Star as she and her team screen tens of thousands of entries each year. But as they narrow the number of applicants down to the 100 or so films that make up the final group, themes tend to emerge.
“It’s not like we set out to say, ‘This is what we want to do.’ As an active film festival, we are always looking for… [political] says Rosenthal, who created the Tribeca festival with Robert De Niro in the wake of 9/11. “This year, there’s a mental health narrative. I don’t know if that’s a post-coronavirus thing.”
The Tribeca festival, now in its 23rd year, will run from June 5 to 16 and will highlight films led by Kristen Stewart, Lily Gladstone and Jenna Ortega. “Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge,” a look at the fashion icon and entrepreneur, will open the festival, with expected documentaries about Prince, Liza Minnelli and Dolly Parton. There are also lively chats and interviews with Steven Spielberg as The Sugarland Express turns 50, Kevin Bacon as Footloose celebrates its 40th anniversary, and David Chase and Sopranos cast members Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli and Jamie Lyn Sigler in their roles. The popular TV show is 25 years old.
And forget Comic Con. The hottest convention this summer will be the inaugural De Niro Con. The celebration, tied to the actor’s 80th birthday, will feature 14 of his most famous performances, along with talks with collaborators Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese and Billy Crystal, as well as a sandwich-making competition.
He’s not opposed to the hype, but De Niro insists he wants nothing to do with planning the event that bears his name. “It was Jane’s idea,” he says. “I stayed out of it. [Otherwise]Looks like I’m doing it myself. “It’s a strange thing.”
Since the pandemic, Tribeca has experimented with hosting premieres in all five boroughs of New York City. But don’t expect the festival’s branding to stray far from the Lower Manhattan neighborhood that started it all.
“What are we going to call it,” shouts Rosenthal. “Hoboken?”
Here are 10 movies we’ll watch without having to cross over to Jersey.
Antitoxin
exit James Jones
Why is it on our radar? The early 2024 death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny — whose previous assassination attempt was detailed in the Oscar-winning documentary “Navalny” — gives new significance to the brutal price of being an opponent of Putin. “The Antidote” is about three individuals who, like Navalny, put their lives on the line to expose and disrupt Putin’s murderous regime. In “Navalny,” the informant tells his supporters: “If they decide to kill me, it means we are incredibly strong.” “The Antidote” makes a compelling case that Navalny’s death was not in vain.
Bad Actor: Hollywood Ponzi Scheme
exit Jocelyn Jensen
Why is it on our radar? Zachary Horowitz takes the adage “fake it till you make it” a lot to heart. The aspiring movie star and producer was Hollywood’s version of Bernie Madoff, defrauding investors out of $227 million so he could enjoy the high life. His reward: some forgettable movies and a 20-year prison sentence.
Sausages
exit Andrew McCarthy
Why is it on our radar? They went to the coolest parties, got the best looking girls and were at the top of every Hollywood director’s list. For a moment, McCarthy and a generation of 20-something stars who came of age in the mid-1980s were the hottest figures in movies. But after an unflattering New York Magazine story labeled this group of fanatical brothers and sisters a “brat pack,” it became impossible to survive that nickname. In Brats, McCarthy reconnects fellow “members” like Emilio Estevez and Rob Lowe to reflect on how this article reshaped—and at times overshadowed—their lives and careers.
Golden Valley Champions
exit Ben Storgolevsky
Why is it on our radar? It’s the ultimate underdog story. “Champions” documents the efforts of a former Olympic hopeful to bring competitive skiing to a remote mountain village in Afghanistan. However, when the country falls to the Taliban, many of the athletes who played the sport are displaced around the world as refugees and face an uncertain future. Sturgulewski captures an inspiring portrait of people who remain resilient and joyful as they navigate a profound political and social transition.
Diane von Furstenberg: The Woman in Charge
Managers Sharmaine Obaid-Chinoy, Trish Dalton
Why is it on our radar? The fashion designer opens up about her personal struggles and professional triumphs in this poignant and surprisingly candid look at the barrier-breaker who introduced the wrap dress. Not only does the film benefit from access to von Furstenberg and her husband, Barry Diller, but it also boasts interviews with friends and admirers like Oprah Winfrey, Marc Jacobs, and Hillary Clinton.
Griffin in summer
exit Nicholas Kolya
He slanders Everett Blank, Melanie Lynskey, Owen Teague, Katherine Newton, Abby Ryder Fortson
Why is it on our radar? This coming-of-age story, about a 14-year-old playwright who becomes involved with a handyman, elicits comparisons to “Little Miss Sunshine.” Watch Blunck, who plays the title character, take off in a big way.
requite
exit Maurissa Maltz
He slanders Jasmine Birkeller Shangrau, Sorayah Head Means, Raymond Lee, Lily Gladstone
Why is it on our radar? “Unknown Country,” an earlier collaboration between Maltz and Gladstone, impressed critics with its lyrical examination of grief and family. Addressing the subject of childhood in all its beauty and poignancy, Jazzy follows the story of a young Oglala Lakota girl as she grows up in South Dakota.
the knife
exit Nnamdi Asomugha
He slanders Nnamdi Asomugha, Melissa Leo, Aja Naomi King, Manny Jacinto
Why is it on our radar? The former NFL star turned actor does it all in this stylish thriller — Asomugha not only plays the lead role, he co-wrote the script, produced it, and makes his directorial debut. “The Knife” is about a black family whose lives are turned upside down when a mysterious stranger appears at their door. Indie author Mark Duplass collaborated on the screenplay and co-produced the film with his brother Jay, which heightens our interest.
Sacramento
exit Michael Angarano
He slanders Michael Angarano, Michael Cera, Kristen Stewart, Maya Erskine
Why is it on our radar? The buddy comedy revolves around two friends who reluctantly move into a new stage of adulthood, one that comes with children and additional responsibilities. Angarano, best known for his work on “Will & Grace” and “Oppenheimer,” made his successful directorial debut with “Avenues” in 2017. We’re curious to see his follow-up.
Winter spring summer or fall
exit Tiffany Paulsen
He slanders Jenna Ortega, Percy Hines White, Marisol Nichols
Why is it on our radar? rom-com for the Gen Z set. Ortega plays a teenage prodigy who falls in love with a music-loving girl (Hines White), proving once again that opposites attract (at least in movies). A summer of young love follows, but the good times may end once Ortega’s character prepares to leave her hometown for Harvard. Trust us, Gina, these Cambridge boys have nothing on slackers.
